N Korea fires 'more advanced' missile

North Korea appeared to test-fire a ballistic missile yesterday that may be more capable than the "hypersonic missile" it launched less than a week earlier, South Korea's military said, as Pyongyang pursues increasingly advanced weapons.

The launches underscore leader Kim Jong Un's New Year's vow to bolster the military with cutting-edge technology at a time when talks with South Korea and the United States have stalled.

Initial estimates found yesterday's missile travelled more than 700 kilometers to a maximum altitude of 60 km at a top speed of up to 10 times the speed of sound, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

"We assess that this is more advanced than the missile North Korea fired on January 5, though South Korean and US intelligence authorities are conducting detailed analysis," they said.

The suspected ballistic missile launch was detected in Jagang Province, the same location as last week's test.

North Korea has joined a global race in developing hypersonic missiles, which are usually defined as weapons that reach speeds of at least five times the speed of sound.